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'I visited jet-lag free destination more beautiful than I could've imagined'

'I visited jet-lag free destination more beautiful than I could've imagined'

Daily Mirror16 hours ago

Time to see jetlag-free Sierra Leone - Sarah Marshalldiscovers fab new West African beaches in the paradise country and meets a wonderful eco hero along the way
Weaving through mangroves along a path leading to the Atlantic Ocean, I tiptoe carefully through the sand.
After dark, there is little light pollution on Sierra Leone's remote, southerly Turtle Islands, allowing stars to dazzle clearly overhead. Using the moon as my torchlight, I shuffle along the coastline, scanning for any movements along the shore.

Between November and April, five species of sea turtle come to nest here as they have done for hundreds of years. Travelling thousands of miles, their journey is far from easy but the difficulties don't end once they arrive.

'Sea turtles have been nesting for thousands of years,' explains marine conservationist Eddie Aruna, my local Sierra Leonean guide. But coastal erosion and sea level rises are having an impact on their nesting sites. 'Turtles always return to their native beaches, but if these no longer exist they will discharge their eggs into the sea,' he tells me.
Other issues include poaching for meat and eggs. Since 2012, Eddie has been working hard to protect the five species of turtles that nest here, focusing on community engagements and recruiting local monitors through his NGO Reptile and Amphibian Program Sierra Leone (RAP-SL).
His work has earned him a Tusk Conservation in Africa Award, presented by the charity's royal patron Prince William at a glittering ceremony in London last November.
Along with a trophy, Eddie has been awarded a grant of £75,000 to continue his work and reach more communities along Sierra Leone's coastline. He already has several other project sites, including neighbouring Sherbro Island where Hollywood actor Idris Elba – whose father hailed from Sierra Leone – is developing an eco-resort. Stretching for 250 miles along the Atlantic Ocean, the West African country's coastline has huge potential as a jetlag-free destination – especially with the new Air Sierra Leone direct 7hr flights from Gatwick to the capital Freetown due to start on June 16. Here are some of the best beaches to visit...
Easily reached from capital city Freetown, the jewel in Sierra Leone's beach crown earned its reputation by gaining the ultimate seal of paradisiacal approval – being used as a backdrop for a Bounty advert.

Mountains and thick tropical vegetation cradle soft white sand beaches lapped by gentle waves, making this an easy place to relax and swim. Essentially, this is a lagoon where the river meets the ocean, allowing for some laidback kayak paddles and fishing trips.
A collection of comfortable bungalows and suites within yards of the waterfront, this is the closest you'll find to a smart beachside resort along this coastline (for now). Step straight onto a wide-open bay, especially beautiful at sunrise and sunset when fishermen sail past in brightly painted wooden pirogue boats.

Watch them carry their hauls onto the beach, where women sift through the best catch to sell at local markets. This is one of the best places to sit and watch local life unfold, with stretches of sand large enough to provide a stage for volleyball and football games. Get here via an easy 40-minute road transfer from Freetown.
This wild, laidback archipelago with castaway Robinson Crusoe appeal lies off the coast of Freetown but feels much further away. Getting there is an adventure, requiring a 40-minute ride in a wooden pirogue from Kent, an hour outside Freetown. Once ashore, the place slows down at Bafa Resort, a stylish glamping hideaway in the forest. Along with snorkelling, diving and hiking trails in the forest, you can learn about the country's complex cultural heritage.
Ruins of churches and colonial-era buildings are remnants of the slave trade which cast a shadow over the islands until they later became a settlement for liberated Africans.

Fringing Sierra Leone's busy port-side capital, these urban sands are the country's answer to South Beach or Copacabana. Come here to drink at late night bars, dance to Afrobeat in clubs or go for after-dinner walks along the surf.
Loved by local residents, it's rarely empty – but this is a place for socialising rather than solitude. Some of the best upscale bars, restaurants and hotels cluster around the Aberdeen area, although the beach extends for three miles south.
Find basketball courts, a running promenade and even a golf course.
Book the holiday

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'I visited jet-lag free destination more beautiful than I could've imagined'
'I visited jet-lag free destination more beautiful than I could've imagined'

Daily Mirror

time16 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

'I visited jet-lag free destination more beautiful than I could've imagined'

Time to see jetlag-free Sierra Leone - Sarah Marshalldiscovers fab new West African beaches in the paradise country and meets a wonderful eco hero along the way Weaving through mangroves along a path leading to the Atlantic Ocean, I tiptoe carefully through the sand. After dark, there is little light pollution on Sierra Leone's remote, southerly Turtle Islands, allowing stars to dazzle clearly overhead. Using the moon as my torchlight, I shuffle along the coastline, scanning for any movements along the shore. ‌ Between November and April, five species of sea turtle come to nest here as they have done for hundreds of years. Travelling thousands of miles, their journey is far from easy but the difficulties don't end once they arrive. ‌ 'Sea turtles have been nesting for thousands of years,' explains marine conservationist Eddie Aruna, my local Sierra Leonean guide. But coastal erosion and sea level rises are having an impact on their nesting sites. 'Turtles always return to their native beaches, but if these no longer exist they will discharge their eggs into the sea,' he tells me. Other issues include poaching for meat and eggs. Since 2012, Eddie has been working hard to protect the five species of turtles that nest here, focusing on community engagements and recruiting local monitors through his NGO Reptile and Amphibian Program Sierra Leone (RAP-SL). His work has earned him a Tusk Conservation in Africa Award, presented by the charity's royal patron Prince William at a glittering ceremony in London last November. Along with a trophy, Eddie has been awarded a grant of £75,000 to continue his work and reach more communities along Sierra Leone's coastline. He already has several other project sites, including neighbouring Sherbro Island where Hollywood actor Idris Elba – whose father hailed from Sierra Leone – is developing an eco-resort. Stretching for 250 miles along the Atlantic Ocean, the West African country's coastline has huge potential as a jetlag-free destination – especially with the new Air Sierra Leone direct 7hr flights from Gatwick to the capital Freetown due to start on June 16. Here are some of the best beaches to visit... Easily reached from capital city Freetown, the jewel in Sierra Leone's beach crown earned its reputation by gaining the ultimate seal of paradisiacal approval – being used as a backdrop for a Bounty advert. ‌ Mountains and thick tropical vegetation cradle soft white sand beaches lapped by gentle waves, making this an easy place to relax and swim. Essentially, this is a lagoon where the river meets the ocean, allowing for some laidback kayak paddles and fishing trips. A collection of comfortable bungalows and suites within yards of the waterfront, this is the closest you'll find to a smart beachside resort along this coastline (for now). Step straight onto a wide-open bay, especially beautiful at sunrise and sunset when fishermen sail past in brightly painted wooden pirogue boats. ‌ Watch them carry their hauls onto the beach, where women sift through the best catch to sell at local markets. This is one of the best places to sit and watch local life unfold, with stretches of sand large enough to provide a stage for volleyball and football games. Get here via an easy 40-minute road transfer from Freetown. This wild, laidback archipelago with castaway Robinson Crusoe appeal lies off the coast of Freetown but feels much further away. Getting there is an adventure, requiring a 40-minute ride in a wooden pirogue from Kent, an hour outside Freetown. Once ashore, the place slows down at Bafa Resort, a stylish glamping hideaway in the forest. Along with snorkelling, diving and hiking trails in the forest, you can learn about the country's complex cultural heritage. Ruins of churches and colonial-era buildings are remnants of the slave trade which cast a shadow over the islands until they later became a settlement for liberated Africans. ‌ Fringing Sierra Leone's busy port-side capital, these urban sands are the country's answer to South Beach or Copacabana. Come here to drink at late night bars, dance to Afrobeat in clubs or go for after-dinner walks along the surf. Loved by local residents, it's rarely empty – but this is a place for socialising rather than solitude. Some of the best upscale bars, restaurants and hotels cluster around the Aberdeen area, although the beach extends for three miles south. Find basketball courts, a running promenade and even a golf course. Book the holiday

Moment rapper threatens murder victim on YouTube - before knifing him in the neck in front of his horrified son
Moment rapper threatens murder victim on YouTube - before knifing him in the neck in front of his horrified son

Daily Mail​

time4 days ago

  • Daily Mail​

Moment rapper threatens murder victim on YouTube - before knifing him in the neck in front of his horrified son

This is the horrifying moment a rapper threatened his murder victim on YouTube before brutally knifing him in front of his young son. Renai Belle, 30, boasted of his 'gangster lifestyle' before stabbing father-of-two Josh McKay, 33 to death in a barbers on July 6, 2024. Belle, who posted online under his nickname Topz had written a rap song the previous year threatening to attack Mr McKay. In his video posted to YouTube, he rapped: 'How many times I put my flicky in man's head?' and 'I pray every day that I buck JMK,' referring to Josh McKay. Police tried to save Mr McKay but were unsuccessful and Belle was convicted of murder. A year prior to the fatal stabbing, Belle posted a song on YoutTube where he directly threatened Mr McKay. In the song, Belle bragged about his gangster lifestyle and his intention to hurt the father-of-two. In the three-minute song, the rap included the lines: 'How many times I put my flicky in man's head?' which Louis Mably, KC, prosecuting told the Old Bailey is a reference to stabbing someone in the head with a flick knife. Belle crept into Hollywood Cuts in Leyton wearing a balaclava before stabbing Mr McKay (pictured) in the neck while he and his barber discussed holiday plans Another line stated: 'I pray every day that I buck JMK.' Mr Mably explained: 'This is a reference to meeting JMK, and the inference is this is Josh McKay,' the prosecutor said. The rap continued: 'That's a good day, not for him though, jakes (police) couldn't catch me...' A year later, Belle carried out his intention and attacked Mr McKay in a barber shop in East London. He crept into Hollywood Cuts in Leyton wearing a balaclava before stabbing Mr McKay in the neck while he and his barber discussed holiday plans. The violent attacker was helped by his teaching assistant girlfriend Tenika Parker, 39, and 22-year-old Daniel Cooper, the Old Bailey heard. Following the gruesome stabbing police descended on the barbershop and tried to save the father-of-two using a scarf to stem the bleeding from the wound but he was unresponsive. The officers began CPR and carried on trying to revive the man until paramedics arrived but there was no pulse. Barber Wray Esson, who was cutting Mr McKay's hair said the pair were 'talking about holiday plans, when all of a sudden he saw a man wearing a balaclava creeping through the door,' (Belle pictured walking to the barbershop in a balaclava) After the fatal stabbing, Mr McKay grabbed the blade and 'went for the attacker' chasing him out of the shop and CCTV caught the moment Belle fled the scene (pictured) Specialist medics including a doctor even performed an emergency operation on the side of the road, but nothing could be done to revive Mr McKay and he was pronounced dead at 3.53pm. Mr Mably said: 'The colour had drained from his face, his eyes were wide open, and he was not breathing.' The prosecutor told the court it appeared Belle 'had an existing, violent hostility towards Mr McKay.' There were no cameras inside the shop but CCTV footage outside showed Mr McKay and his son arriving in their car 30 minutes before the attack. 'Footage also showed that at that time, Mr Belle was also in the very same area. He was in a car, and then on foot, in the same area of Lea Bridge Road, at the same time, going right past the barber's,' the prosecutor said. The attack was carried out 25 minutes later. 'What happened in those 25 minutes? Because he didn't go straight in,' the prosecutor said. 'What happened is that straightaway, and very quickly, he saw the opportunity, and made preparations for the attack to make sure he could carry it out before Mr McKay had finished having his hair cut. 'What he did was to go off and get the knife, and the balaclava, before coming back and creeping into the shop.' Barber Wray Esson, who was cutting Mr McKay's hair said the pair were 'talking about holiday plans, when all of a sudden he saw a man wearing a balaclava creeping through the door,' said Mr Mably. 'He thought it was a joke at first, but then saw the man had a large kitchen knife in his hand. 'The man approached Mr McKay, and just as Mr McKay swivelled round on the chair to see what was going on, the man plunged the knife into his neck, and then pulled the knife out. 'Mr McKay stood up. The man went to stab him again but Mr McKay put his arms up to defend himself. 'There was a scuffle and the knife fell to the ground.' Mr McKay grabbed the blade and 'went for the attacker' chasing him out of the shop. Passer-by Debbie Osu saw a man wearing dark clothes with a hood up 'creeping towards the shop' carrying something close to his leg. Moments later Mr McKay came out holding the knife after disarming the attacker, the court heard. Ms Osu heard Mr McKay say: 'I can't believe he caught me.' The prosecutor said the witness saw Mr McKay's distraught son outside saying 'that's my dad.' Parker and Cooper helped Belle carry out the attack, it was said. 'Tanika Parker was obviously a close friend and associate of Mr Belle - it seems they were in fact in a relationship,' the prosecutor said. Parker drove Belle drove to Lea Bridge Road in her SsangYong Turismo, the court heard. The prosecutor said telephone records show Belle had been in touch with Cooper that day asking him 'to provide him with the knife and balaclava'. CCTV footage showed that Belle and Parker attended Cooper's address to collects balaclava and knife, the court heard. Parker was arrested on the night of 7 July while Belle was arrested the next day. He made no comment in police interviews. Parker gave a written statement, in which he said she was in a relationship with Belle, but denied knowing that he was going to carry out an attack. Parker was initially arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and Cooper was arrested after handing himself in to police She was stopped by police while driving the car that had been identified as involved in the murder and after a search of the vehicle, officers found distinct black sliders Belle was seen wearing in CCTV footage, as well as traces of blood that officers sent for forensic testing. Parker was rearrested on Wednesday, 2 October, and charged with perverting the course of justice after CCTV footage showed her attempting to clean her car after the attack to remove any evidence. Belle, of Edmonton, denied but was convicted of murder. Parker and Cooper, both of Walthamstow, denied murder and were cleared by the jury. Parker was cleared of murder by the jury along with Cooper. Cooper had admitted possessing a bladed article, while Parker denied but was convicted of that offence. Parker denied but was unanimously convicted of perverting the course of justice by cleaning her SsangYong Turismo SUV after the attack. Belle and Parker will return for sentence at the Old Bailey on 30 July. Cooper will be sentenced separately on Friday. Detective Inspector Chris Griffith, from Specialist Crime North, who led the investigation, said: 'This was a savage and pre-planned attack, committed in broad daylight and with scant regard for passers-by. What took place left the local community reeling, and two young children without their father. 'My heart goes out to Josh's family and friends. He was a loving parent, whose life was ended in the most horrendous way. 'I hope that today's result provides Josh's family with some closure, and allows the community to feel safer knowing that Belle is no longer free to commit such heinous crimes.'

Huge twist in Mobland finale guarantees second series, say fans – despite backlash over Pierce Brosnan's accent
Huge twist in Mobland finale guarantees second series, say fans – despite backlash over Pierce Brosnan's accent

Scottish Sun

time02-06-2025

  • Scottish Sun

Huge twist in Mobland finale guarantees second series, say fans – despite backlash over Pierce Brosnan's accent

Actor Pierce Brosnan's Irish accent was criticised, but an epic final episode has proven why the Paramount+ show needs to return clever plot Huge twist in Mobland finale guarantees second series, say fans – despite backlash over Pierce Brosnan's accent Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A HUGE twist in the finale of Guy Ritchie's Mobland series has guaranteed a second series, according to fans. The tenth episode of the gangster show faced backlash over Pierce Brosnan's Irish accent - with some critics calling for it to be axed. 2 Pierce Brosnan was criticised over his Irish accent Credit: Luke Varley/Paramount+ 2 Tom Hardy's character's fate was left on a cliffhanger at the end of series one Credit: Luke Varley/Paramount+ However, a dramatic end involving Tom Hardy's character Harry appears to have got viewers hooked on the idea of more episodes. In a shock move, Harry's loyal wife Jan stabbed him in the chest in a fit of rage while chopping carrots in the kitchen. Fans think this cliffhanger ending proves why the show must return - to find out whether he survives. Sharing various thoughts on how series two will play out, one said: "I saw a post about the ending being bad and Harry getting stabbed being a way for Tom Hardy to leave, but I feel like what followed after the stabbing was kind of a wink that nothing is going to happen to him. "Harry is definitely the cherry on top of the cake and the showrunners are not oblivious to that. "If the show has a season 2, Harry will be in there and he would've survived." Someone else added: "After enjoying the S1 finale, it appears we have our new antagonists to go up against Harry and Kevin: Kat and Eddie in series two. "Eddie is more f****d up than we thought! Choking your own mother to death is pretty heinous. "Before the finale, I would have said Eddie's too weak/cowardly to even be mentioned in the same breath as Kat McAllister. But seeing his venomous attempts to kill his mother, I think Kat and Eddie will find their way onto some kind of team together. I think Eddie wants to destroy every Harrigan now." Another said: "Lowkey wish Conrad and Maeve could just be gone from season 2 and they would focus on Kat and if anything Eddie only. And Seraphina perhaps as an antagonist as well working with Kat." A viewer wrote: "Well Eddie didn't successfully commit matricide so it'll be interesting to see how Bella reacts during S2."

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